Lietuvos konsulatai Skandinavijoje Vilniaus gynyboje

LTKalbėti apie Lietuvos konsulinį tinklą Skandinavijoje ir jo vaidmenį ginant Vilniaus reikalus nusprendžiau neatsitiktinai. 2000 m. apgintoje disertacijoje „Skandinavija Lietuvos diplomatijoje 1918-1940 metais” ir 2002 m. išleistoje to paties pavadinimo monografijoje daugiausia dėmesio skirta Vilniaus klausimui ir jo gynimui Skandinavijoje diplomatinėje plotmėje, t. y. atstovo pastangomis, pasitelkiant ir konsulus. Būtent dėl būtinybės ginti Vilniaus reikalus spaudoje (ypač provincijos) 1937-1938 m. buvo plečiamas konsulatų tinklas ir remiamasi garbės konsulais. Tačiau konsulų vaidmuo ginant Vilnių Skandinavijoje plačiau neanalizuotas. Nebuvo tirtas ir atskleistas visas gynimo mechanizmas, konsulų subordinacija. Todėl ir kalbėsiu apie jau minėtus dalykus, remdamasi Lietuvos centriniame valstybės archyve, LR užsienio reikalų ministerijos fondo 3,7,17,18 aprašuose bei LR ministrų kabineto fondo 1 apraše esančia medžiaga. Mano tikslai: 1. Apžvelgti konsulinio tinklo kūrimąsi Danijoje, Norvegijoje ir Švedijoje 1919-1939 m.; 2. Remiantis konkrečiais pavyzdžiais, parodyti dėl Vilniaus kylančių problemų sprendimo mechanizmą 1937-1939 m. [p. 65].

ENUntil present, the role of consuls in the Nordic countries in the matter of the Vilnius defense has not been given any deeper analysis. The whole mechanism of the Vilnius defense and the subordination of consuls have not been investigated and made clear by now. This study of the above matters is based on the materials stored in the collection of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (f. 383), schedules 3,7, 17,18, and the collection of the Lithuanian Cabinet of Ministers (f. 923), schedule 1, which are kept at the Lithuanian Central Archives. The report follows two purposes: 1. To review the foundation of the consular network in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 1919-1939; and 2. On the basis of illustrative facts, to show the solution mechanism of problems related to Vilnius in 1937-1939. In the survey of the foundation and development of the Lithuanian consulate network in the Nordic countries in 1919-1939, three stages in the development of the consular network can be distinguished: the first stage in 1924-1928, the second stage in 1929-1936, and the third one in 1937-1938. In 1924-1928, the consular network was established for the promotion of economic contacts. On 1st January 1924 a career vice-consulate was founded in Copenhagen, whereas in September of the same year Lithuanian honorary consulates were opened in Góteburg and Fredericia, late in 1926 in Oslo, and in January of 1927 a honorary consulate general was founded in Stockholm. Late in 1926, a career consulate in Copenhagen was closed and in January of 1927 a honorary consulate general was opened there. In 1929-1933 honorary vice-consulates were opened in Denmark (Odense, Randers, Aarhus, Aabenraa, Aalborg), Sweden (Stockholm) and Norway (Oslo), and honorary consulates in Malmo and Kalmar, whereas in 1935-1936 new honorary consulates were opened in Gavle, Halsinborg, Landskrona, Norrkoping, Sundsval, Oslo, Copenhagen.The third stage is marked by the expansion of the honorary consulate network in Sweden and Norway, which was related to more intense development of trade contacts and to the Klaipėda and Vilnius problems that were then of major concern to Lithuania. In 1937-1938 honorary consulates were established in Bergen, Stockholm (vice-con sulate) and Goteborg. In 1937-1939, Lithuanian honorary consulates in Norway defended the Vilnius affairs both in press and by appealing to the Polish embassy in Oslo. The Lithuanian embassy applied for help to the consulate general in Oslo concerning the incident when signs of the demarcation line were moved in January of 1937, and in spring of 1937 concerning publications in Scandinavian press with untrue information about close cooperation between Soviet military forces and Lithuanians as well as on the matter, which troubled the Lithuanian embassy, concerning “the Polish threats to move the demarcation line from Vilnius to Kaunas.” It requested to make an enquiry about such threats at the Polish embassy in Oslo. In 1938-1939 the Lithuanian embassy in Stockholm usually applied to honorary consuls for help, support and protection when it was necessary to oppose the Polish propaganda and to enter into contacts with local mass media or managers of manufacturing companies.